This is another joint blog post Michael Clark and I wrote together. As always, it needs to be seen against the backdrop of our own religious history. We both have had many years of experience in different church groups that were not founded on Christ and see why Paul said, “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2 ASV)

Imagine you hear or read about a new branch of Christianity and you, of course, want to know whether what those people believe might be the truth or not. How can we quickly discern if we are dealing with real or only fake Christianity? To come straight to the point, without spiritual discernment received by God’s Spirit, the firmness of our conviction will be shaken again and again, depending on our moods, feelings, thoughts, and reasoning. T. Austin Sparks wrote the following about spiritual understanding.

Paul prayed for saints that they might “be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col 1:9).

Understanding implies a sense or apprehension of the fuller meaning of what is known, with the ability to apply that knowledge to adequate value. It is a matter of intuitive recognition or perception of the hidden nature and trend of things, and differs from the merely outward impression made upon the senses which calls for thought and reasoning. There may be something of this, as we have seen, in people of good and quick intelligence naturally, but spiritual understanding is something more. It is that faculty of the renewed spirit—an insight, perception, sense, appreciation in relation to Divine matters—which is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the faculty which makes its possessor assured in an inward way of what is of God and what is not so, when very fine questions are at issue and when things are not by any means obvious. This ‘discernment’ or ‘judgment’ cannot always at first be explained or given a reason; it is just there, and very real to those who have it. Spiritual understanding is one of the most important things in the equipment of any Christian for responsibility. To put anyone into a position of responsibility in the things of God, or for anyone to take such a position, without this qualification will be to jeopardize the work of God and to put all related thereto into a false and dangerous situation. Something much more than just good ‘common sense’ and natural judgment is required in things eternal and spiritual. The one pre-eminent object and goal of this spiritual faculty is the knowledge of God, and it does not matter how great and complete may be a man’s knowledge otherwise, the one indispensable requirement for responsibility in spiritual work is that he knows God in a measure beyond all natural capability or possibility. No efficiency can substitute for spiritual understanding!

As for any Christian movement, we should check them regarding the work of the cross in the life of the believer, just as TAS explained (see excerpt below). Is their goal to be fully crucified with Christ and to let Him live in(stead of) them or is the old man pampered and kept alive? And do people still believe that acknowledging Jesus mentally would turn them automatically into a New Creation? Just because one is born in a garage does not make him a mechanic. When the old man is truly dead, the New Creation will be seen by everyone whether they like it or not. 😉 As an acid test one might read The Sermon on the Mount again and check whether we are able to fulfill all that which Jesus told His disciples there. The easiest test is always to think about one’s enemies and to check whether our heart is overflowing with love for them. If not, which is quite normal, we have not yet arrived at the goal. However, we may believe that the One who promised to sanctify us fully “will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil 1:6 ESV) Here is the second excerpt from the same article of T.A. Sparks I announced further above.

Many movements have swept over this earth with the name of Christ attached to them. They claim to be for Him, and multitudes are swept into their nets. There are ‘conversions’ and experiences. There are supernatural features connected with them. But they are psychical in their foundation. Physical persons with psychical experiences and powers, abnormal and uncanny personal influence, are behind them; and a cult is developed by certain methods being standardized. These methods or soul-tactics are employed to draw out soul-expression in certain forms. It may be a religious form of psychotherapy or psychoanalysis, and it has remarkable effects upon those who respond to it. The infallible test of all such things is as to what place they give to that fundamental aspect of the Cross of Christ which sets man by nature wholly aside and gives him no place at all—that is, the death of the man, not only the remission of his sins. Try this truth in such movements and they will collapse, and be popular no longer.

Most all church movements put a man or woman at the head of it as its founder and what these people teach is soon more often quoted by their followers than the Bible itself. This is a dead giveaway that it is a personality cult in the making. When the Corinthians tried to do that with Paul, He told them that they were totally carnal. Then he told them that Christ is the foundation of His church and we who believe can only be built upon that ONE Foundation or it is not the Church (see 1 Cor. Ch. 3).

Carnal followers with the wrong foundation will never manifest the teachings of Christ in their lives. They will set themselves ahead of all other Christians and strive to be above them, even hating those who oppose them and their leaders and rejecting anyone that does not believe as they do. This is not the love of God at work and surely it goes against the description of His love in First Corinthians ch.13. Remember Jesus’ warning,

“Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matt 15:13-14, KJV)

In dealing with one another love should be the most preeminent manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Having said this, it is also important to know that loving one another does not mean we should accept any view suggested by our brothers and sisters that contradicts the truth. Instead, we should always try to speak the truth in love just as God nudges us and leads us through His calming peace. Yet whenever we find ourselves upset or even only uneasy about what someone has shared with us, we should take five or ten minutes to ask God why that happened. Are they wrong or is it us? Even if we have received the confirmation of the truth in our hearts immediately, we need a tender way to share the truth with them, which is something the old self can hardly provide. May God help us to get there over time. Amen.

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28 thoughts on “Putting Christianity to the Acid Test”

Susanne Schuberth and I wrote this article as God has taught us from past as well as current experiences dealing with Christians among whom men and women have risen up, teaching perverse things to draw away disciples after them (See 1 John 2:26-28).

It is always a joy to share with you and see how our Father has taught us so many of the same things in our hearts and changed us so much even in the last few years before we met that we might enjoy this unity that is ours in Christ together. 🐻

We have both seen that God has a plan with our lives. Although we did and do not understand His leading, we can be sure that all things will turn out good in the end.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes…” (Jer 29:11-14 ESV)

Susanne, what a perfect scripture from Jeremiah you shared here. It really touched my heart as I read it and saw how it fits what God is doing in our lives. I am so thankful that He knows our end from the beginning and orders our lives according to HIS plan for us for it is perfect. I am so blessed to be on this journey with you. 🐻 🐱

Michael, that has been one of my favorite Scriptures to which I usually cling when my life does not look that bright and rosy (currently, for example). Whenever we find ourselves down in the dumps once again, we may have hope as that Scripture confirms.

You have been a blessing to me since I have come to know you, my brother! ⭐

Susanne and I wrote this article as God has taught us from past as well as current experiences dealing with Christians among whom men and women have risen up, teaching perverse things to draw away disciples after them.

“I write this to you about those who would deceive you; but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that every one who does right is born of him.” (1John 2:26-29, RSV)

We would do well to take John’s words here it prayer, asking our Father to show us how HE sees us, not how we think we are doing.

Thank you again, Susanne, for the way you keep being used to shine His light in my own dark places. God bless and keep you always in the Son. ⭐

Susanne, yes, we are surrounded by gross darkness all the day long, but His light in us will win.

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isa 60:1-3, RSV)

That was the first Scripture God made alive in my heart when I had come to know Jesus 21 years ago. At that time I thought IT would happen soon. But alas, Rome wasn’t built in a day, either. It has been a looong process and only He knows the end.

Susanne, I KNOW THE END of what He is doing in you as well, for He has shown it to me and it is beautiful. Surely the nations will come to your light, FOR IT IS HIS LIGHT. You are HIS treasure and I am so happy He has seen fit to share you with me.

Answer, ‘None.’ I saw that no site stats that we can use for free are as exact as they should be. Remember that old Live Traffic Feed. 😛 And our Stat Counter only shows a third of our WordPress stats which does not reveal all hits, either. There are always “unseen” visitors, not only web crawlers.

Thank you very much for sharing this blog. The key thing for me here is unconditional love according to the Sermon on the Mount. I must admit I have not fully arrived. Because if I say I do than the truth is not in me. Thank you, thank you, thank you…..

It has been such a blessing to find both of you. In my circles and travels, its has been my experience that such Love and litmus tests are not so often welcomed… which means we need a deeper revelation of His immense love for us. How often I forget this as well… This was a deep piercing reminder for me, and a teaching that dropped right into my spirit.

This has blessed me so much. To read kingdom truth shared with kingdom authority, from His heart… been a long time.

So humbly and gratefully- I thank the Lord for the body who has gone on ahead.

I am glad to hear you have been blessed by what you read from Michael and me. In fact, I too could need a deeper revelation of His love for us since I find myself, again and again, unable to love unconditionally. May God give me a new heart that cannot do anything but love! Thank you so much for your edifying response on here, dear brother! ⭐

David, you really blessed me with your reply. It is always a blessing to hear that God uses us to edify the body of Christ. As Susanne can testify, it seems that the Accuser of the brethren has the louder voice. Bless you, my brother.

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